Eyeglass lenses get dirty easily from a variety of sources. Dirty eyeglasses are not only unsightly, but also impair the vision of the person wearing them. Two categories of contaminants are commonly found on lens surfaces, namely (1) dust, grit and other potentially abrasive materials; and (2) fingerprints and other oils.
Various articles and methods have been developed for cleaning eyeglass lenses. For example, wipes, cloths and tissues are commonly used as eyeglass cleaners. However, such cleaning items do not always allow for effective removal of dirt and other abrasive materials. Instead, small abrasive particles can be rubbed on the lens surfaces, potentially scratching the lens or damaging surface coatings. Further, wipes, cloths and tissues are not effective in cleaning fingerprints and other oils since their fibers are not able to absorb surface oils quickly. As a result, such cleaning items may actually spread a thin layer of oily residue over the lens surface. Another problem with wipes, cloths and tissues is that they tend to become dirty wherever they are touched by a user and hence their cleaning capacity is very quickly compromised.
Cleaning substances, such as soap, detergent, gel, alcohol, or the like, may also be used to clean eyeglass lenses. However, it is often inconvenient to carry such cleaning substances and the cleaned eyeglasses may still need to be rinsed with water and then wiped dry with tissue paper or cloth. Moreover, liquid cleaning solutions are prone to leaking into purses, briefcases or other carrying devices and may not be permitted to be carried on to aircraft.
In the past, eyeglasses were often made of tempered glass. Today, it is common for eyeglasses to be made of plastic lenses with special anti-reflective and anti-scratch coatings for glare reduction, ultraviolet (UV) light protection and scratch resistance. Most sunglasses are also made of plastic materials. These plastic lenses with surface coatings are more difficult to clean, and special care must be taken to avoid abrading the coatings or scratching the plastic lenses.
The inventor has determined that it would be beneficial to provide an apparatus for cleaning eyeglass lenses that is capable of effectively and quickly removing both dust and other abrasive particles and fingerprints and other oils without abrading or scratching the lenses. It is also desirable to provide an eyeglass cleaning apparatus which employs a non-liquid cleaning composition, is easy to carry and is aesthetically pleasing in appearance. There is also a need for an eyeglass cleaning apparatus which may be replenished and reused multiple times without any significant decline in cleaning performance.